Based on the present state of art, endothelial cells are considered to be a widespread system of complicated cells with a variety of properties. In the brain, the fundamental properties of trans endothelial diffusion were as blood-brain barrier (BBB). The cellular basis for special heterogeneity along post-capillary venules and their response to coronary stenosis is not fully understood in the myocardial microcirculation. Much of what is known about the morphology of endothelial cells and microvascular structures has been discovered in fixed vascular beds with whole animal perfusion, or in cultured endothelial layers using light or electron microscopy. Indeed, previous studies using these techniques have allowed a valuable insight into both endothelial and micorvascular structure. Also, in previous studies, serial sectioning with electron microscopy is necessary to view vascular structures in three dimensions. This can be both difficult and time-consuming. In addition, no method has be
… Moreen available to study microvascular structures without fixation and sectioning. This has left researchers with no basis for comparing the dimensions of microvascular systems with values obtained in fixed tissue. The study introduces a novel morphological approach in the heart or other organs, which combines physiological perfusion technique with confocal microscopy and three-image reconstruction. This approach allowed us to visualize microvascular structure and endothelial morphology in three dimensions. By optical sectioning each vessel from the top to bottom (less than 1 micron per section), recording the reflectance image and volume rendering, the pattern of microvascular tree in the organ was visualized directly. The technique will have numerous potential applications in further understanding the relation between microvascular structure and pathological conditions. With the ability to view vessels with any orientation, using image processing software, it would be possible to accurately assess dimensional parameters of the microvascular beds in the brain and heart. Computer reconstructed images can be used to directly measure the microvascular volume ratio simply rotating the specimen Less